Dr. Seela Fernando, in her book Herbal Food and Medicines in Sri Lanka, says that
tamarind is a common acid used largely in our diet, specifically in cooking meat. She
dedicates an entire chapter to the curative value of tamarind.

She says that the pulp is a cooling laxative and carminative. The unripe fruit is more
acidic. "The ripe fruit, a year or two old, is used with other ingredients for
jaundice or lack of tension in the liver," Fernando describes. "A half ounce of
tamarind juice is given to correct bilious disorders."

Fernando also speaks of the tamarind drink: boil one ounce of tamarind pulp in a quart
of milk and add a few dates. Strain the liquid, add cloves, cardamom, pepper and a little
camphor to taste.
The drink is taken for inflammatory disorders such as fever, gastric affections,
dysentery and loss of appetite, Fernando said. For sun stroke, take mashed tamarind pulp,
soak in water and take after straining. "The efficacy of the strained infusion is
increased by adding black pepper, sugar cloves, cardamoms and camphor.

Ingredients

150 grams grated jaggery

60 grams tamarind pulp, diluted into 150ml of water

1 pinches of chilli powder

0.5 tsp cumin seeds, roasted and crushed into powder

1 tsp of satya spices of your choice

1 pinches salt.

Directions

1. Bring the jaggery and tamarind to a
boil in a saucepan and simmer over a low heat until the mixture turns
shiny and the jaggery is completely melted.